Electric mail delivering and collecting machine.



0. E. STOUT. ELECTRIC MAIL DELIVERING AND COLLECTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30, 1908.

Patented Oct. 20,

1 m m T n r J %u w No m WITNESSES.-

0. E. STOUT.

ELECTRIC MAIL DELIVERING AND GOLLEGTING MACHINE.

, APPLICATION I'ILED JUNE so, 1903.

901,847. Patented Oct. 20,1903

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES fNVE/VTOR IBY I a W3 a I I Azzorneys 711A NORRIS rzrurs c0. Iusnmarmv. nc.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE OTTO E. STOUT, OF OZARK, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC MAIL DELIVERING AND COLLECTING MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Orro E. STOUT, a citiaen of the United States, residing at Ozark, 1n the county of Johnson and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Mail Delivering and Collecting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. This invention relates to new and useful nnprovements in elevated carriers and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel device of this character to be employed in the delivery of the mails, more especially on rural routes.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel device of this character which will not only deliver receptacles containing the mail, but collect the same, said device be- -ing power operated and thereby obviating the necessity of employing a person as a mail carrier.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel device of this character which will be simple in construction, efficient and advantageous in practice and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

IVith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the details of construction and in the novel arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more particularly referred to.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which,

Figure 1 is a view in perspective illustrating the carrier. Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the receiving and delivery mechanism. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing a receptacle about to be delivered, and, Fig. 1 is a view in perspective, detached, of one of the receptacles used in conjunction with the invention.

In the drawings 1 denotes anchor posts of any desired height having projecting there from the supports 2 for the conductor wires or tracks 3. Resting on these tracks 3 are the wheels 4 at one end of the carrier and the wheels 6 positioned within the housing 7 at the opposite end of the carrier. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 30, 1908. Serial No. 441,157.

ends of the receptacles 12.

Patented Oct. 20, 1908.

wheels 4 are mounted within upstanding brackets 8, while the wheels 6 are mounted on the common shaft 9, which is operated by the electrical motor 10.

The carrier 5 comprises a framing approximately rectangular in cross-section, the longitudinal corner strips 11 thereof forming guide-ways for the reception of the mail receptacles 12. Each of these receptacles is numbered and is adapted to be placed within the carrier 5 in rotation, thereby assuring a proper delivery of the receptacles. The forward end portions of the corner strips 11 are bent to form the outwardly flared spring clips 13 to guide within the carrier a receptacle to be collected, while the opposite end portions of the corner strips project outwardly and inwardly to form retaining springs 14 to retard the movement of a receptacle to be delivered.

Each collecting or delivering station comprises an anchor post 15, having secured to its upper end a fork 16 provided at its free ends with the spring arms 17 arranged at right angles thereto. These arms 17 are provided with elongated openings 18 in which are inserted the lugs 19 formed on the As the carrier travels on the trackway 3 the forward end thereof will strike the receptacle held by the arms 17 and the impact thereof will cause said receptacle to force rearwardly the receptacles within the carrier 5, the rear receptacle being placed within the springs 14, while the receptacle being collected passes beneath the spring hooks 20 carried by the forward end of the carrier 5 and is held. against displacement. As the carrier 5 travels the spring arms 17 will bear against the lugs 19 of the receptacle held by the springs 14 and when the lugs 19 enter the openings 18 of the spring arms 17 the receptacles will be held by the spring arms.

In order that no obstruction may be given to the receptacles 12 in their movement through the carrier 5 the intermediate side strips 20 are employed, having formed therein the grooves 21 into which the lugs 19 of the receptacles 12 project. The receptacles 12 may be of any desired structure, but it is found best that they have their door or clo sure at their under face so that the possibility of rain or the like entering the same is reduced to a. minimum. Further it is found desirable that the door or closure 22 be provided with a receptacle 23 in which coin may be placed to pay for the postage of the mail placed within the receptacle.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, the combination of a trackway, a carrier movable thereon, receptacles within the carrier, outwardly flared springs at one end of the carrier and means for delivering a receptacle at one end of the carrier and withdrawing a receptacle from the opposite end of the carrier.

2. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a t-rackway, a carrier movable thereon containing receptacles; of a 5 station for the receptacles comprising a fork and spring arms carried by the fork, said spring arms being provided with elongated openings.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OTTO E. STOUT.

-Witnesses JOHN OPNEAL, T. CARRITT. 

